5 Huge Green-Tech Projects in the Developing World

Any solution to global climate change will eventually have to involve the whole globe, not just the richest countries.

That’s why deals like the one announced Tuesday between Pasadena’s eSolar and the Indian conglomerate Acme Group are essential to any truly green global future. ESolar will sell Acme 1,000 megawatts worth of solar thermal technology, so that the latter can build a network of solar power plants in India’s northern state of Haryana.

"India is an enormous electricity market with enormous demand for growth," said Rob Rogan, vice president of corporate communications for eSolar. "We see this as our chance to be part of a long-term renewable energy solution in India."

To date, most wind and solar power has been deployed in the rich, industrialized nations. A 2008 report found that the world’s developed countries had installed 207 gigawatts of renewable-power generation, excluding large hydro. That’s only a few percent of the rich countries’ power generation, but it’s a lot more than the 88 gigawatts of clean power that had been built in the developing world.

Now, even with the Obama-led United States looking increasingly green-friendly, that trend could reverse. Falling renewable-energy costs and the desire to use domestic energy sources have helped green tech make inroads in fast-growing countries. Renewable-energy investments jumped 91 percent in 2007 in China. and India expects add 6 gigawatts of wind power between 2007 and 2012.

Here we present five of the largest green tech projects that have broken ground, or plan to, in 2009. Each one of them is slated to be among the largest green-tech projects in the world. Though each is as big as a large coal plant, your average fossil fuel plant will generate more kilowatt-hours because they can burn round the clock every day the year, not just when the sun is shining or the wind blowing.

(It’s difficult to find out the exact number and size of solar, wind and geothermal projects in the developing world: The English-language paper trail is disappointingly thin. If you know about other projects or initiatives that are planned or complete, let us know in the Comments section, so we can add them.)

Geothermal power has already had marked success in the developing world, as can be seen in the chart. That’s because, when the geological conditions are right, geothermal can be downright cheap. (Chart: Marin Katusa, Chief Investment Strategist, Casey Research Group)

Suzlon Wind FarmLocation: Near Dhule, IndiaCurrent capacity: 650 megawattsPlanned capacity: 1,000 megawatts Estimated completion date: 2010 Built by Suzlon, a homegrown Indian energy compay, the Suzlon wind farm near Dhule will be the world’s largest when it’s completed in 2010. Already, it’s creeping up on Florida Light and Power’s Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, which has a capacity of 735 megawatts. It’s the brainchild of Tulsi Tanti, Suzlon’s founder and something of an international hero — but not everyone is happy about Tanti’s low-cost approach to wind-farm development. Der Spiegel reported that the farmers who toil under the giant turbines are demanding more money for their land. "If Suzlon refuses to pay, the farmers block the access routes with their buffaloes," the magazine wrote.(Image: flickr/ramkrsna)

Acme Solar Thermal PlantsLocation: Haryana, IndiaCurrent capacity: 0 megawattsPlanned capacity: 1,000 megawattsEstimated completion date: 2019Acme, an Indian technology conglomerate, announced its intentions to build up to 1,000 megawatts of solar thermal power Tuesday. The company providing the technology, eSolar, makes 46-megawatt modular power plants that concentrate the sun’s rays onto a central boiler to generate steam to drive a turbine. ESolar’s
Rob Rogan said that the companies would break ground on the first 100
megawatts of solar power within the year.

Econcern Wind Farms
Location: ?
Current capacity: 0 megawatts
Planned capacity: 720 megawatts
Estimated completion date: ?
The Dutch energy company Econcern will partner with a major Chinese oil firm and a hydroelectric company to build four wind farms that will generate around 720 megawatts of power. Work is expected to begin this year, butEconcern’s CEO recently admitted that the clean-energy industry faces a serious slowdown that could cause his company to cut jobs.

9:30 AM PST: This post was updated to include the chart about geothermal power production around the world, which was received after the publication of the story.